The Pines Resort

Alarm clock is ringing. Its time. Another day another deal.

I raise from my bed and put on a pair of shorts and walk to the kitchen. Six eggs, four for me and two for Fred, from the refrigerator is put down in boiling water and the coffee machine murmurs like its happy to start the day but not yet ready to go full speed. I'm not either, yet.

After eggs, cereals and a cup of coffee i change to my training shorts and take my paddle and walk to the boats. The sun is up and its another beautiful day at The Pines. Florida offers another day  of paradise but also a lot of pain and suffering. Training is tough, but when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We are not here to be comfortable, we are here to improve, to master our sport to perfection. 

Its an olympic year and you can tell, the atmosphere is tense. There is not as much small talk as it use to be other years I been here. I put my boat in the water and do some strokes to get away from the docks. Fred is a little behind as usual. I say hi to a couple of Canadians thats already done with their morning training, I just got on my shift. I increase the speed a little more. My heart rate goes up but is still under 100 beats per minute. It's still warm up and there is no reason to rush. Both body and mind has to be ready when the sessions starts. 

After two right turns me and Fred have reached the part of the river were we are going to throw down, and maybe throw up. A dolphins blows out some air just a couple of meters away. We start our watches and we are off.

Salt water and sweat are getting mixed on our warm working bodies. It's another beautiful day in Florida. Another day of pain and suffering. A new day to master our sport to perfection. A good day to learn to be a winner. A fine day to be alive.